Report: 22-year-old is now Arsenal’s top summer target ahead of Declan Rice

By Charles Jones

According to Turkish outlet, Aksam, Arsenal now have a new top summer target in the shape of Sacha Boey.

It had been reported that Declan Rice was the club’s number one target heading into the summer transfer window, but now, Boey has been named as the club’s new priority.

Apparently, Mikel Arteta would love to sign the 22-year-old, and, in all honesty, it’s not surprising to see this link emerge.

Boey has been utterly brilliant for Galatasaray this season and at the age of just 22 he’s right in the wheelhouse of Arsenal’s recruitment strategy.

Indeed, Arsenal have focused on signing young, up-and-coming players in recent years, and Boey is certainly in that category.

It could certainly be argued that Arsenal are in need for a right-back. Ben White has, of course, been brilliant in that position this season, but he is natural centre-half, so perhaps Arteta would want a more specialised right-back through the door.

Factor in that Takehiro Tomiyasu now also appears to have a long-term injury, a move for Boey begins to make the world of sense.

As ever, Arsenal won’t have a free run at this young player.

This report also names the likes of Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Sporting CP and Lyon as the other teams interested in Boey, and while Arsenal may be a more appealing destination right now, the aforementioned clubs are arguably more likely to give Boey immediate first-team football from the off.

Boey has had a fantastic season over in Turkey and it looks for all the world that he’ll be moving to a top European or Premier League club this summer – whether that’s Arsenal or another club remains to be seen.